26 New Cases Of Covid Reported
Source: Vientiane Times
The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on Monday reported 26 new cases, bringing the total number recorded in Laos to date to 2,076.
Leading a press briefing on behalf of the taskforce, Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Dr Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh, said the 26 new cases had been identified following 1,129 samples that were tested in the previous 24 hours.
Seven of the new cases occurred in Vientiane, four in Vientiane province, one in Xayaboury province and two in Luang Namtha province, all of which are believed to be community-acquired.
Savannakhet recorded four imported cases while Champassak recorded eight imported cases.
More Covid-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals while others will remain in Mitthaphab Hospital in Vientiane and other provincial hospitals until they twice test negative for the virus.
Dr Rattanaxay said everyone should continue to comply with all the measures laid down by the Covid-19 taskforce to keep the virus under control.
Some 3,756 people have been admitted to 49 quarantine centres across the country and samples taken from them are being tested for the virus.
The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control also said the due to a miscalculation in the number of samples tested, the total number of cases recorded had been recalculated.
The total number of cases has now been reduced by 60, from what would have been 2,136 down to 2,076.
Director of the National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology, Dr Phonpadith Sangxayalath, explained that some Covid-19 patients had had samples taken twice, once at a testing centre and then again while in hospital before samples were sent to the laboratory.
He said that some samples had been improperly marked, leading to discrepancies. Meanwhile, some individuals were tested up to three times but provided different names and phone numbers each time.
The Taskforce has now reviewed and recalculated the total number of cases, arriving at a final number of 2,076. The number of active cases now stands at 124, while deaths remain at three.
